Monday, May 25, 2015

Some more felt mats, and my first "tiger mom" tip!

So yes, I am still on my felt candle mat kick.....Have been cranking them out like crazy, just was not getting time to take pictures and to post :) Here is my latest lot......


The cupcake one is really fun, I added bugle beads as sprinkles. Not yet listed on my Ebay or my Etsy, but will be up there pretty soon.
 As I promised in my previous post that I will start writing, not just for the sake of offering some help/ insight for like-minded and concerned parents, but also just documenting for myself, some steps I took in raising my daughters. Following up on that is my first tip :  
1.      being a good role model- Heard often, but used......ummm, let's just say, not that often. There is a saying “An apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”, and yes, it is very much true. Here are some steps. Today, I'm sharing the first one-  I took to stay a good role model-  I made conscious decisions to stay a teetotaler so that I could expect the same from my girls, with full conviction. I remember one of my students telling me during my first year of teaching, “there is no way your daughter will graduate high school in America without drinking”. As a “fobby” immigrant, I actually remember being seriously scared by that. Well, 12 years later, I am happy to report that it never turned out to be an issue. 
I hope to continue documenting a comprehensive list of actions/ tips here on my blog, so please check back or comment if you have a question. No meanness please. I was taught that it is better to stay quiet if you do not have any thing positive to contribute, so I'm hoping others will also respect that :)


Sunday, May 17, 2015

This and that.....

Yes, I have been creating a ton, but sorry, no pictures to share due to lots of other activities like helping my daughter clean up her apartment, get ready to move to Cali etc, etc. But I thought I could still take time out to share what I have been up to. ......So, tried out a TOTALLY new craft, kinda logical for me though. It was just a matter of time, I guess. My new love is beading. I had a coworker teach me bead looming, and have created 2 bracelets so far. Considering that I am totally a jewelry person, I think these are creations that I will enjoy making for myself, and actually wearing them too :) Will share pics when I can find more time.
So yeah, my older daughter will be starting her Neurology residency at Stanford University. Yes, she is now officially a Dr.! Amazing feat, considering she is only 22 years (almost 23). The younger one got admission to Caltech for Engineering, again one of the top institutes in the nation (and also like...the entire world!). As is wont to happen in Indian circles, a lot of people started asking us (my husband and I) about what we did for our girls, to make them such high achievers....On top of that, quite a few people have been telling me that I should write a book about how I helped them, share my parenting techniques....After a bit of pondering, I thought, if not a book, the least I could do is to jot down some things I did consciously while raising them, on this very blog....altruistic intentions hopefully...pay back to society.....all that kind of good stuff. The one thing that pulls me back, is being misinterpreted, and maybe having to face some flak. So I think I will first work on my disclaimer statement....CAUTION: I am not a parenting expert. I am merely sharing some insight into what I did, and I think it worked for my family. Make what you will of it. In general, if you feel that you agree or feel that my ideas are beneficial, feel free to leave a comment to that effect, but if you take offense...please go back and read my disclaimer.
OK, now with that off my chest, I'm out of time for my blog post.....more on actual ideas next time :)

Monday, May 11, 2015

Mother's day limerick to brighten up your day....

Just a quick post today to share a limerick my younger one wrote for me on Mother's Day:
There once was a mummy named Mummy,
I thought she would just fill my tummy,
But as time went on,
She was more than a mom,
She kept me from being a dummy!


My older one wrote a haiku:
Mummy, your work here
 Is far from over, since we
 still have much to learn.

That about sums it up for me....yes, I guess, a mother's work is never done. I know I still learn so many life lessons from my mom, and I am 46 years of age! 
Hope you got to spend an awesome Mother's day with your mother figures :) 

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Some finishes, and learning a new craft.....

This will hopefully be a completed bracelet soon. But the amount of strain it is putting on my eyes....., I feel that I am starting this hobby at a wrong age. I need younger eyes.


Among the finishes, here's one I have to share...It is the "Call the Midwife" blanket, inspired by a British TV show. It is listed here for a very reasonable price. I was also able to finish up a couple of felt candle mats, but still need to take pictures of them. Plus I started working on my Yoshi graph afghan, which looks like it will turn out to be huge....I'm trying to do about 4 rows every day, so with 160 rows on the graph, just getting through that will take me 40 DAYS!! Then add the border....What did I get myself into :)
Keep on crafting....